NATO will have to intervene

Posted Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at 9:08 AM

If you've ever wondered how good our military is, all you have to do is look at the operations in Libya.

When U.S. forces were involved, we were able to make precision strikes on Kadaffi's forces, even when they were in the suburbs of cities, without hitting civilians. We could do it day and night, regardless of weather.

As the rebel forces are learning, the rest of NATO, which now conducts the UN-authorized operations, doesn't have that capability. The technology and training just isn't there. Nobody else has A-10s and AC-130 "Spectre" gunships, or the targeting capabilities and precision ordnance of our F-16 and F-15 aircraft. Civilian and rebel "friendly fire" casualties have occurred since the U.S. ended its share of the operations, and some weather conditions that wouldn't have stopped U.S. forces have halted NATO.

We're glad we're no longer directly involved there, but without us, the force multiplier for the rebel forces isn't as great.

In the long run, the rebels are going to need more than they've been getting, which is why our withdrawal from direct involvement is a good thing. To win the civil war they're going to, eventually, need some limited ground forces from NATO or (preferably) the Arab states.

This civil war can't be allowed to drag on forever, and Kadaffi can't be allowed to remain in power. The longer he's allowed to stay, the higher the risks of him returning to his old ways and sponsoring terrorist attacks against the western powers that have worked against him.

NATO and the Arab states need to move beyond the UN mandate and push him out of power soon.

Unfortunately, it takes more than a can of Raid to get rid of the vermin who don't belong here.

We could cut all politicians salaries and tell them that not only do they need to raise money for their campaigns, but find sponsors for their livelihood too.

-- Posted by KH Gal on Wed, Apr 20, 2011, at 2:01 PM

Oh Wait, I forgot, they already have sponsors, they are called lobbyists. So in essence they are double dipping.

-- Posted by KH Gal on Wed, Apr 20, 2011, at 2:01 PM

I fully concur with this blog posting. Absolutely, NATO and Arab League must now be completely on board in a unified goal in respects to the blown out of control Libyan crisis - regardless of the politics, of what should have been done differently from the first move.

The African Union must be part of this unified effort now too, as a pragmatic force combined with a necessary robust, collective effort to end the crisis.

In regards to the best optimal airpower asset which could be currently employed in support of enforcing a 'no-tank, no-artillery' zone mission... well it would actually not be F-15 or F-16, or Rafale. In all irony, it would be from the 4-5 hr unrefueled endurance of Super Tucano flown off modified LHD (if the USMC had this capability already in place to supplement the mission)! Yes, such Super Tucano, perhaps patrolling at 22k-24k feet in packs of 6-8 aircraft, 24-7, would most cost-effectively counter the very hostile ground assault units which prolong this crisis.

Respects to Libya in this terrible crisis and for reconciliation soon. May all sides be humbled. God have mercy on us all.